Safety razor



H. J. LUCKE SAFETY RAZOR May 31, 1932.

Filed Sept. 3, 1927 Patented May 31, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HENRY :r. LUCKE, or EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY SAFETY RAZOR Application filed September 3, 1927. Serial No. 217,416.

' My invention "relates to improvements in safety razors and especially to' means for hold'in the blade in active orshaving position. 11 certain" aspects the invention is '5 adapted'tothe use of double-edged blades and to an automatic or self-feeding type of safety razor, but. in other aspects the invention is not limited in either of these resp'ects. I "principal object is to provide holding means which will more accuratelyor positively position a blade, and particularly a double-:edgedblade, on the shaving head, and is'at the same-time adapted,'when incorporated in an automatic-feed type of razor, to permit the movement of the blade to and from working position in the manner normal in that type of'instrument. a A more particular object in connection with a double-edged blade'is to so position. and retain'the active blade that the idle edge is practically enclosed and protected and is furthermore prevented from coming in contact with any part of the shaving head and thus any'dulling o'rother injury to the inactive edgeis prevented; so that when the blade is replaced in the magazine and again fed to active position, the previously unused edge may be presented for shaving in its original sharpand undamaged condition. y

' further'obje'ct is to provide for the above objects or results in cooperation with a simple, flat, double-edged blade, free from grooves, slots or other special formations; and to effeet the proper positioning and retention of the blade to efi'ect the proper positioning and retention ofthe blade by so forming and ar ranging the holding parts that they cooperate with such a simple blade for the purposes and in the manner above and hereafter referredtof: 1 j 1 ..;'lheac companying drawings showcertain representative embodiments ofthe invention. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without, departing from the principles disclosed; and I- contemplate the employment of any structures that are prop- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a razor embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a section at 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 2a is an enlarged fragmentary section in the same plane. 1

Fig. 3 is a section at 33, Fig. 2.-

Fig. 4 is a section similar'to F ig. 2, of a modified construction. 1 i Fig. 5 is a section of another modification.

Fig. 1 shows the invention adapted to a known type of automatic-feed or magazine safety razor, and equally well exemplifies one adaptation to an ordinary safety razor, that "is, one which has no magazine or automatic feed arrangement. The particular instrument shown includes a hollow handle 1 having at its upper end an angular wall 2 to cooperate with the generally angular or beveled end face 3 of the shaving'head 4. This head has a slot 5 and a stem 6 projecting from the end member 2, is pivotally connected tothe shaving head by a conventional pivot screw 6 or equivalent, see Figs. 2, 3 4 and 5, so that when the razor is'not in use t e latter may be turned into longitudinal alignment with the handle, and when so turned the face 7 of'the shaving head is aligned with one side of the slot 8 in the end wall 2, through which a fresh blade is projected from the magazine within the handle 1, by reciprocation of the end knob or cap 9, the blade so positioned sliding under the lip or edge 10 of a curved shield 11 and bein'g retained by frictional pressure of the shield. As so far described the structure is of a known type, not intended for the use of double-edged blades and in which, if such blades are used, there isno adequate provision for so accurately positioningthe blade as to prevent, contact of its inner or idle edge 1 with parts of the shaving headsuch as the wall 12, either in moving ,toflor from active position, and the holding means ismoreover not sufficiently positive to accurately position the active or outer edge of the blade in relation to the guard 13-to give the properspacing for correct shaving action, nor to prevent displacement of theblade by the pressure thereon arising in shaving.

1 iflfi the' scope of the appended claims, To overcome the above mentioned and 5 sheet spring metal is formed to provide a portion conforming to the inner contour of theshieldll, andsecured thereto in any suitable way as by brazing, riveting, etc.

A continuation 16 of the part 15 constitutes in effect a flat or plate spring, terminating in a rounded, downwardly convex or other suitably shaped gripping member 17, which cooperates with a part of the edge formation of the thin wafer blade .18, which preferably has an edge at each 'of two opposite sides, namely an edge 'whiclr is in active or 'outward position, and an edge 20a,v which is in inward or inactive position. The edge proper isformed by either bevelingor hollow-grinding the thin steel sheet which constitutes the blade; and my invention is designed to cooperate with either type of edge, that is, straight or hollow-ground, the hollow-grinding being represented in Fig. 2 and a straight edge formation in Figs. sand 5. i v 7 The edge of lip 10 of shield 11 engages thembladeas heretofore at a line near the blade center andfrictionally clamps to a certain degree the blade upon the head surface 11',- and at. the same time the retainer or beadl7.is.yieldingly held by its spring member,;l6 inlengagement with the upper face of the inward blade edge 20a; and this engagemenu'while not absolutely positive, is sufliciently firm and accurate, whether the edge formation is straight or hollow ground, to'spa-ce i. e:, locate and 'retainidefinitely said inner-edge away from the wall 12 and thus prevent injury to the blade,while,the blade a m-wing endwise to active position and away therefrom, and while it is in active position for shaving. The blade is thus acc'ur'a'tely positioned also with respect to its outward edge 20 since the-blades are of accurately uniform width and since the inner edge is properly positioned the outer edge is alsoproperly positioned with relation to the guard 13. I Th'e retainer or bead 17 may in some cases lie-continuous, that is it mayextend along the whole length' of the spring member 16; otherwise as shown in Fig. 3, the retainer orbead formation maybe interrupted, consisting of the short cODVeX or head formations 17 a'n-e'ar the ends of the spring member 16, with an intermediatefportion 175 which free from contact with the blade-edge formation, thus redu'cingthe frictional resistance to the sliding movement of the blade to and from active position but at the same time positioning and retaining the? blade with practically the s'amesecurity as the long or continuous head. 7 The ends or corners 170 of the formations 17a are-slightly beveledor roundedto {prea bl'ade having parallel surfaces "f iVidb d vent any retardation of the blade as it is slid endwise to and from position.

' described.

Fig. 1 shows a modification in which the retaining bead 17 and its spring member 16 are integral with the shield 11, which is a continuous .piece of spring metal and has also formed in it a second bead or lip portion which engages the blade in the same position as the lip 10 of Fig.2. The function of the bead 17 is here substantially thesaine jars in Fig. 2 and is shown in co -operation "with i straight-ground edge, although it would egually well co operate with a hollow-ground ege.

1n the modification "of Fig. 5,;the retaining members in actual contact with the blade consist of lips or beads and '36., formed on a strip 37 ofrelatively thickjsectiofi, this being secured by soldering, riveting or other wise to the shieldll, the shield in thispase furnishing the spring member which holds the bead 35 in engagement with inner edge formation of the blade and the miter bead 36 in contact withthe upper face of the blade. Evidently this, device functions substantially as do the others I My invention is also applicable Tto the use of single edge blades by providing a looafti n'g and retaining means arranged to engage the blunt or unsh'arpened edge of the blade.

My invention possesses structural advantages in the use of double edge bladerazors of the automatic refill magazine types, that the position andpath of mpvmeiitof the blade when'shifted from the blade holder is accurately and uniformly determined, thus insuring accuracy in the position ofassemblingof the blades in the cl-ip or equivalent for storing the once-usedblades preparatoliy to re-filling. V g p I claim:

1. A safety razor sliavihg head having a surface portion forTecivi with oppositely. disposed Iit'tiiig g pr duced by the "intersection tif'two tern surfaces, a'shield fricti'onallyfretaining a blade'upcn said surface 'with the'butwliid sharpened edge exposed for shaving, means yieldably enga ing :aa tr the inward sharpened edgeportiono' thebliade wl'iereby"topositiomtheo i 2; A safety razor "co prising a stirring head haviiig a?suffabe portidh flir i cei viiig athin wafer blade having its apposite edges sharp efi'e'd, a shield fri'ctieiialli vdetaining such a thin "wafer blade -uponf said sur faee with the outward sharpened edge exposed for shaving, and means yieldably engaging the taper of the inward sharpened edge portion of the blade whereby to resist lateral displacement thereof and also to position the outward edge.

3. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a surface portion for receiving a thin wafer blade having its opposite edges sharpened, a shield frictionally retaining such a blade upon said surface with the outward sharpened edge exposed for shaving, said shield also having yieldable means engaging the taper of the inward sharpened edge portion of the blade adjacent the cutting edge thereof and resisting lateral displacement thereof.

4. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a surface portion for receiving a blade having parallel surfaces provided with oppositely disposed cutting edges produced by the intersection of two short bevel surfaces, a shield frictionally retaining such a blade upon said surface with the outward sharpened edge exposed for shaving, and means yieldably engaging the taper of the inward sharpened edge portion of the blade whereby to position the outward edge, said shield and yieldable means being adapted to'permit longitudinal sliding of the blade a blade having parallel surfaces provided to and from active position.

5. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a surface portion for receiving a flat thin wafer blade having its opposite edges sharpened and a wall extending at an angle therefrom, a shield adapted to engage such a flat, thin wafer blade and frictionally retain it upon said surface portion, and a bead member yieldably supported and adapted to engage the taper of the inward sharpened edge formation of the thin wafer blade, keep it from contact withsaid wall, and accurately position the outward edge thereof for shaving. V

6. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a surface portion for receiving a fiat thin wafer blade having its opposite edges sharpened and a wall extending at an angle therefrom, a shield adapted to engage such a flat, thin wafer blade and frictionally retain it upon said surface, and a bead member yieldably supported and adapted to engage an inward edge formation of the blade, keep it from contact with said Wall, and accurately position the outward edge for shaving, said bead member being adapted to permit longitudinal sliding of the blade to and from active position.

7. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a surface portion for receiving surface, and means in cooperation with said shield for yieldingly engaging the taper of the inward sharpened edge formation of the blade and thereby locating the outward sharpenededge with relation to the guard and preventing contact of the inner edge with said ing with the shield and the taper of the in- Y ward sharpened edge formation of such a blade to definitely locate the latter in active position, said means constructed and ar-' ranged to permit longitudinal sliding of the blade to and from active position.

9. A safety razor comprising, a shaving head having a blade-engaging surface portion, a shield frictionally retaining a double edged blade upon said surface with outward sharpened edge exposed for shaving, and

means engaging the taper of the inward 1 sharpened edge portion of the blade adjacent the cutting edge thereof whereby to retain the outer edge in operable position.

10. A safety razor comprising a shaving head having a blade-engaging surface portion, a shield adapted to engage and retain with oppositely disposed cutting edges produced by the intersection of two short bevel surfaces upon said blade-engaging surface, with the outward sharpened edge exposed for shaving, and means for engaging the taper of the inward sharpened edge adjacent thereto whereby to retain the blade in operable position.-

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this Qndday of September, 1927.

HENRY J. LUCKE.

a fiat thin wafer blade having its opposite A edges sharpened and a guard space from the outward edge of said surface, a shield having means for frictionally retaining such a thin, flat, double-edged blade upon said 

